After the record-breaking success ofAvengers: Endgame, MCU fans are breathlessly waiting to see where the franchise will go next. According to a recently-discovered easter egg fromAvengers: Infinity War, the answer is space. The easter egg was discovered on the back of the beeper Nick Fury uses to send a distress signal to Captain Marvel at the end ofAvengers: Infinity War, in the form of an engraved logo for S.W.O.R.D.
Fans of Marvel comics will recognizeS.W.O.R.D.as the extraterrestrial wing of S.H.I.E.L.D. Just like S.H.I.E.L.D. works with the Avengers to protect the Earth from threats, S.W.O.R.D. operates on a cosmic level, with a different roster of heroes sometimes referred to as the Space Avengers.
The logo for S.W.O.R.D. showing up on theCaptain Marvelbeeper at the end ofInfinity Waris the most direct acknowledgment in the MCU so far that the organization exists and will have a part to play in future films. Another hint was provided in one of the post-credit scenes inSpider-Man: Far From Home, where we see Nick Fury relaxing aboard a spaceship, which is most likely the headquarters of S.W.O.R.D.
The biggest role that S.W.O.R.D. plays in theMCUso far does not actually appear in the films but in the finale of the TV showAgents of SHEILD. In the finale, the character of Daisy finds herself embarking on a new adventure with Sousa and Kora, with the three going on a mission in deep space, which could be one of the first steps for S.H.E.I.L.D. to evolve into the space-faring S.W.O.R.D., although that takes place in an alternate reality.
The mainstream reality of the MCU will see S.W.O.R.D. playing a much more active role inWandaVision. Set photos from the upcoming Disney+ series have shown what appears to be a military base bearing the S.W.O.R.D. logo. It is also being speculated that the character of Monica Rambeau, who first showed up inCaptain Marvelas a child, and who will be part ofWandaVisionas an adult, is a member of S.W.O.R.D.
All these hints have been years in the making, indicating that Marvel Studios is going all-in on expanding theAvengersdomain to now include the rest of the universe. Of course, if the superheroes are going into space for their future adventures, that can only mean the next big threat is going to be coming from there as well.
Fans are hoping that means one thing, that the planet-eating giant Galactus and his herald the Silver Surfer are going to be the next big threat to the MCU after Thanos. Then there is the introduction of the multiverse into the franchise that is being teased with the upcomingDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
All in all, exciting times are ahead for the Avengers and those who had doubts that the movies would be able to beatEndgamein terms of spectacle can rest assured that things are only going to get bigger and better in terms of superhero spectacle, as the MCU expands to include not just the planet, not just the universe, but the entire multiverse.Redditis responsible for delivering this latest look at Easter eggs in the Avengers universe. You can see the SWORD logo on the back of the prop pager in the photo below.
